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NYC History, Museums on a Budget

© Jeanne-Michele Vigna

There are nearly a hundred museums in New York City, some of which have world class collections. But with so many museums, it can seem quite overwhelming what to visit and which ones are worth the money. On a regular day Manhattan's main institutions-The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Modern Art-can cost anywhere from $8 to $10 simply to enter. Thankfully, for the same price, one can visit at least two smaller museums. Right on Fifth Avenue, one can talk a stroll in and out of some of Manhattan's most historic and world renowned institutions on what is called Museum Mile. Spanning from 104th to 82nd Street, Museum Mile includes El Museo del Barrio, Museum of the City of New York, International Center of Photography, The Jewish Museum, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, National Academy of Design, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Goethe Institut of New York/German Cultural Center, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. But it is a handful of these that are not just cost effective, but fun and educational as well. Founder of the Museum Mile Association, El Museo del Barrio was conceived in 1969 in Harlem's El Barrio neighborhood. As a reaction to the civil rights movement, a group of Puerto Rican parents, educators, and community activists challenged "major art institutions to decentralize their art collections and represent a variety of non-European cultures in their collections and programs." For years the museum moved from schools to various store fronts until it found its permanent home in the Hackesher Building at 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street. Asking a mere "suggested contribution" of $4, this unique museum showcases artwork by many renowned Puerto Rican artists, as well as works by Mexican, Caribbean, and Central and South American artists. Some exhibitions include Pressing the Point: Parallel Expressions in the Graphic Arts of the Chicano and Puerto Rican Movements (1960-1970), Viva la Muerte: Artwork Inspired by the Day of the Dead Celebration, and Puerto Rican Santos de Palo: Sculptures Between Heaven and Earth (1850-1940). A block away at 1220 Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street, The Museum of the City of New York is a non-profit organization, which began as early as 1923. With a mission "to collect, preserve, and present original cultural materials related to the history of New York City," The City Museum of New York has done just that. Over 1.5 million artifacts from paintings to photographs to rare books to costumes lay out Manhattan's history under one roof. Asking only a "suggested contribution" of $5.00, there is no better way to learn about the Big Apple. Current exhibition includes The New York Century: World Capital, Home Town, (1900), New Yorkers Fashion on Stage: Couture for the Broadway Theater (1910-1955), and Forgotten Gateway: The Abandoned Buildings of Ellis Island Photographs by Larry Racioppo.

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